Bon Appetit

top

• Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi read more ›
  (12 Divanyolu Caddesi, Sultanahmet. Tel. 0212 513 6468)
  Beware of imitations. Only the Tarihi (Historic) Sultanahmet Köftecisi has been serving up meatballs (köfte) and bean salad (piyaz) in tried and trusted fashion for close on 60 years.
• Tarihi Haliç Iskembecisi read more ›
  (315 Abdulezelpasa Caddesi, Fener. Tel. 0212 534 9414)
  The 'Historic tripe soup shop on the Golden Horn', offering Turkey's traditional tripe soup hangover cure 24/7, as well kebabs, meze and all the other traditional suspects.
• Kırçiçeği read more ›
  (41 Muallim Naci Caddesi, Ortaköy. Tel. 0212 260 3535)
  Big city branch of famous chain, offering varieties of Turkish pide (pizza) 24 hours a day.
• Susam read more ›
  (49B Cevdetpasa Caddesi, Bebek. Tel. 0212 263 5430)
  The restaurant that never closes, for the city that never sleeps. Choose from 24 types of kebab, or try the sandwiches and waffles.
• Çorbacı Soup Bar read more ›
  (8 Yeni Çarşı Caddesi, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 244 5169)
  Enterprising café offering mercimek (lentil) and yayla (yoghurt and herb) soups, through to more unusual versions made from green olives, nettles and asparagus.
• Piknik read more ›
  (36 Istiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 292 7197)
  Fast-food take on traditional Turkish kofte and grills-watch those peppers, they're very hot!

• Pizzeria Pidos read more ›
  (13 Dünya Sağlik Sokak, Gümüssuyu, Taksim. Tel. 0212 244 8181)
  Up-market pizza joint offering excellent takes on all the usual suspects, plus a few surprises such as the caramelised onion and sun-dried tomato topping.
• Kozz Halic read more ›
  (94 Kadir Has Caddesi, Fener. Tel. 0212 532 8992)
  Old Greek house reborn as a swish but reasonable restaurant offering meze, fish and kebabs, with traditional musical accompaniment.
• Ayazpaşa Rus Lokantasi read more ›
  (59A Inonu Caddesi, Gümüşsuyu. Tel. 0212 243 4892)
  Founded in 1943 by Russian and Hungarian emigrants, this restaurant continues to serve up hearty takes on Russian, Hungarian and French standards.
• Molly's Cafe read more ›
  (10 Camekan Sokak, Galata, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 245 1596)
  Expat-run café/restaurant offering home-cooked food and regular family dining with live poetry recitals.
• Hasbi Restaurant read more ›
  (6 Köyiçi Meydan Sokak, Beşiktaş. Tel. 0212 260 0152)
  Old-school mezze and grilled fish restaurant favoured by fans of Beşiktaş football club. Packed out on match days.
• Porte read more ›
  (23A Akarsu Caddesi, Cihangir. Tel. 0212 244 8989)
  Late-opening pizzeria, also offering numerous mezze and salad options.

• Hong Bin Lou read more ›
  (53 İnönü Caddesi, Gümüşsuyu, Taksim. Tel. 0212 249 6728)
  Chinese restaurant that covers all expected bases. It also has a café menu and offers takeaway service.
• Fener Kosku read more ›
  (311 Abdulezel Pasa Caddesi, Fener. Tel. 0212 621 9025)
  Tucked in next to the Greek patriarchate, this 400-year-old Greek house oozes charm and history. Open in the day for snacks and until 4am for full-on Greek-Turkish meals of meze followed by fresh fish or charcoal grilled kebabs.
• Go Mongo read more ›
  (Istinye Park Alışveriş Merkezi, Istinye. Tel. 0212 345 5888)
  In the 13th century the Mongols invaded what is now Turkey, destroying the first Turkish empire, imprisoning the sultan and besieging the Byzantine Greek capital of Constantinople. Now they're back offering spice-laden meat barbecues and Central Asian noodle specialities to somewhat more popular acclaim.
• Barba Giritli Balik Lokantasi read more ›
  (3 Abdülezel Paşa Caddesi, Cibali. )
  Overlooking the Golden Horn, this place offers Cretean-style fish and meze dishes flavoured with dried fruit and tahini, not to mention fabulous views.
• Fischer Restaurant read more ›
  (41B İnönü Caddesi Gümüşsuyu, Taksim. Tel. 0212 245 2576)
  One of the city's first stabs at international cuisine. Forty years on, Fischer's offers a mix of hearty German, Hungarian and Russian standards.
• Roumelie read more ›
  (48 Istiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 244 6604 )
  Traditional Turkish restaurant offering a wide range of salads, mezze, fish and kebabs, with live Turkish fasil music thrown in.

• Deep Blue read more ›
  (115 Bebek Caddesi, Arnavutköy . Tel. 0212 263 4829)
  The uninterrupted Bosphorus views are standard, but nothing about the menu is: octopus casserole, sea bream with saffron, sea bass with chard, sole with capers and almonds and salads laced with nettles, endives, radishes and mustard greens, and drenched with sour pomegranate syrup. Decidedly untraditional.
• Cibalikapi Balikcisi read more ›
  (Tarihi Moda İskelesi Yolu, Moda, Kadıköy. Tel. 0216 348 9363)
  Top-notch fish restaurant with an extensive archive of old Turkish and Greek music, which aims to recreate the Istanbul meyhane culture of the early 20th century. Specialities include the Armenian 'Topik' meze and whole grilled octopus and squid.
• Ismet Baba read more ›
  (Kuzguncuk Iskele Yanı, Kuzguncuk. Tel. 0216 341 3375)
  Once the haunt of Turkey's most famous poet - Nâzım Hikmet - this historic fish restaurant bans music in favour of good conversation. Specialities include pan-fried turbot and steamed sea bass.
• Le Pecheur read more ›
  (80 Yenikoy Caddesi, Tarabya. Tel. 0212 262 7070)
  Beside the Bosphorus, this fish restaurant offers Turkish and French specialities from grilled sea bass to moules marinières (mussels).
• Marina Balik read more ›
  (Kuruçeşme Park İci, Eski Vapur İskelesi, Kuruçeşme. Tel. 0212 287 2653)
  In a restored 19th-century ferry terminal, this restaurant covers the full range of seafood standards plus signature specialities such as steamed sea bass and chargrilled aubergines.
• Dukkan read more ›
  (6 Ataturk Caddesi, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Mahalesi, Küçükarmutlu. Tel. 0212 277 3848)
  A communist-controlled shanty town isn't the first place you'd expect to find a cordon-bleu butcher turned exclusive restaurant. Rest assured the meat-veal, steak or lamb-is the best in town-Dukkan supplies all the top hotels, and exclusivity is measured in the need to book a table and order your meat well in advance.

After Dark

top

• Monseigneur Timoni read more ›
  (Suriye Pasaj, 348 Istiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 245 6846)
  Cheerful pavement café/bar offering food, music and ambience aplenty.
• Nev-i Cafe read more ›
  (264 Abdulezelpasa Caddesi, Ayakapi. Tel. 0212 531 8602)
  This stone-built tower was once a guard post operated by the Ottoman Janissary police. Now serving snacks, soft drinks and water pipes.
• Kaktus read more ›
  (4 Imam Adnan Sok, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 292 5979)
  This trendy bar is the watering hole of choice for the Istanbul media set.
• Pia read more ›
  (6 Bekar Sokak, Beyoglu. Tel. 0212 252 7100)
  Long-running, late-opening café/bar offering an extensive range of international dishes and special vodka mixes.
• Gizli Bahce read more ›
  (27 Nevizade Sokak, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 249 2192)
  Tucked away on the upper floors of an Ottoman town house, Gizli Bahce's funky décor and laid-back charm make it a great place to start an evening.
• Venta Del Toro read more ›
  (95 Galipdede Caddesi, Galata. Tel. 0212 243 6049)
  Istanbul's first tapas bar offering a well-stocked bar with Spanish-themed snacks and full meals.

• Dogz Star read more ›
  (3rd Floor, 3 Kartal Sokak, Galatasaray, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 244 9147)
  Well-hidden rock bar offering live local bands and DJs most nights, with occasional international surprises.
• Beyzade Fasil read more ›
  (8 Karaaslan Is Merkezi, Terkoz Çıkmazı, Istiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 293 4110)
  Traditional-style restaurant with a fixed menu of hot and cold meze and local drinks, offering live Turkish fasil music every night.
• Mask Live Music Club read more ›
  (10 Bekar Sokak, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 244 1238)
  Hip, new café bar offering a regular slate of live music ranging from western-style rock groups to well-known Turkish musicians and singers.
• Roxy read more ›
  (7 Aslanyatagi Sokak, Siraselviler, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 245 6539)
  Fourteen years old and still rocking, this bar consistently provides great live music and dancing.
• The Hall read more ›
  (7 Küçük Bayram Sokak, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 244 8737)
  Armenian church hall-turned-shoe factory, turned cutting-edge nightclub offering everything from theme nights to celebrity DJ sets and live acts-all with the full approval of the church next door.
• Cemal Reşit Rey Konser Salonu read more ›
  (Gümüş Sokak, Harbiye. Tel. 0212 232 9830)
  Council-run concert hall with regular concerts of classical and Turkish traditional music (www.crrks.org).

• Nu Pera read more ›
  (145 Meşrutiyet Caddesi, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 245 6070)
  Daytime bar restaurant turned late night dance club. Weekends see it filled to discomfort with those with a craving to be seen.
• The Hall read more ›
  (7 Küçük Bayram Sokak, Beyoğlu. Tel. 0212 244 8737)
  Armenian church hall-turned-shoe factory, turned cutting-edge nightclub offering everything from theme nights to celebrity DJ sets and live acts - all with the full approval of the church next door.
• Club Airport read more ›
  (50 Deniz Is Hani, Kore Şehitleri Caddesi, Zincirlikuyu. Tel. 0212 288 5904)
  This legendary 80s dance club was recently relaunched for a new generation of all-night party people.
• Melon 24 read more ›
  (Milli Reasürans Çarşısı, 35 Abdi İpekçi Cad, Nisantasi. Tel. 0212 296 6512)
  Party until 4am with the young and beautiful Nisantasi crowd. Cutting-edge DJs as standard, with occasional live acts and other surprises.
• Sapphire Bosphorus read more ›
  (77 Muallim Naci Caddesi, Kuruçeşme . Tel. 0212 258 5823)
  Size may not be everything but add unsurpassable Bosphorus views to this top-notch, 1,500-capacity club and you'll understand why it seldom empties before dawn.
• 5.Kat read more ›
  (5th Floor, 7 Soganci Sokak, Cihangir . Tel. 0212 249 6608)
  Run by a top Turkish film actress who also works the kitchen, 5.Kat (Fifth floor) is a late opening café, bar, restaurant and nightclub frequented by movers and shakers and movie makers.

This month...

top

Tips

top